Malaysian authorities assess proposals to resume search for MH370: official

Updated 2017-08-17 11:30:55Xinhua

Malaysian aviation authorities said Wednesday that several proposals by interested parties to resume search for the missing Malaysian Airlines MH370 are being assessed, following latest reports that significantly narrow down the potential areas.

"The MH370 Response Team has received several proposals from interested parties to search for MH370," said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director general of Malaysia's department of civil aviation and head of MH370 response team.

In the statement, Azharuddin said Malaysia "acknowledged" the latest reports but "we remain to be guided as to how this can be used to assist us in identifying the specific location of the aircraft."

"The team is currently assessing these offers in light of all available information including this newly released report which will subsequently be brought to the attention of Australia and China to seek their views," he said.

Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board, most of them Chinese nationals, en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. Joint search efforts were suspended in January after almost three years.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which oversaw the underwater search for MH370, said Wednesday that the two reports from Geosciences Australia and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) may help pinpoint where the Boeing 777 disappeared.